Emperor of Portugal (Kejsaren av Portugallien) - Selma Lagerlöf

Art. no. 216584033 24 Apr 2025

The Emperor of Portugal (1914) is a novel by Selma Lagerlöf that depicts a father's deep love for his daughter and the psychological strains that arise when she disappears from his life. Set in Värmland in the 1860s or 1870s, it focuses on the crofter Jan i Skrolycka and his daughter Klara Gulla.

Jan i Skrolycka is a simple crofter who lives a quiet life with his beloved daughter, Klara Gulla. When Klara grows up and goes to Stockholm to work, Jan is struck by an overwhelming longing. His longing distorts his perception of reality, and he begins to believe that Klara has become Empress of the fictional country of Portugallien. This delusion causes Jan to lose his ability to distinguish between fantasy and reality, which has serious consequences for his mental health and his relationship with the outside world.